The Plan
by Kreuger2
Summary: Dean turns up to help Jo on a case but his help isn't exactly appreciated.
1. Chapter 1

He had a plan. He had it all straight in his mind, knew exactly how all this was supposed to go down. Being in a hotel room at 3 o'clock in the morning fighting the urge to watch her as she changed out of her greasy clothes was not part of the plan.

She had gone on a hunt, a poltergeist a three hour ride from where she was staying. She had called Ash for some info, and not ten minutes later Ellen had been on the phone to Dean. It was a simple enough hunt but this was the first time in months that they had a lead on Jo's location. Dean had been there 22hours later, with a perfect plan in place.

Now here he was so far away from the plan he wasn't even sure what it had been anymore. He had convinced himself he had only got the one room because he wanted to save money. He refused to listen to the voice in his head saying it wasn't his money, he could spend as much as he wanted. Truth was he had been waiting for a lead on her almost as long as her mother had, now he had found her he didn't want to let her out of his sight. Even if she wasn't speaking to him.

She had been pissed when she arrived to the hunt to find Dean waiting for her. "What are you..? Ash. When I get my hands on that scrawny little…"

"Oh let it go, I'm here, get over it." He wasn't in the mood for her anger. He was annoyed that she would put herself in danger with so little regard for her own safety.

"I don't need your help Dean."

"Well you got it anyway. Now lets get this over with so I can hit the road." His plan, such as it was, involved her leaving with him but he wasn't about to tell her that part.

They destroyed the spirit in record time, and though he would never admit it Dean was quite impressed with her skill. That's when things got complicated. Somewhere in his mind he had locked away thoughts of Jo under the little sister heading, she was someone he needed to protect. Watching her hunt had changed that, he realised she was able to take care of herself. Knowing that she didn't need him made him want her in a way he had never expected.

It wasn't that he had never noticed she was attractive, he had eyes and more often than not he led with his downstairs brain. Maybe it was because they met when he was still dealing with his fathers death. There were moments back then when he had considered it, but he wasn't in the right frame of mind and so he had pushed it away. Now it was all coming back to him, she was no longer his surrogate sister, but a woman who he was sharing a room with. Alone.

It was probably a good thing that she was still not speaking to him. After what felt like an eternity she was finally changed, into the shortest nightgown he had ever seen. 'Oh great.' He said nothing, he too could play this game, instead he just climbed into his bed and switched on the tv. She glared at him in response but said nothing. He smirked.

After an hour of watching the television in stilted silence he couldn't take it anymore. "You know you're going to have to speak to me eventually."

"You reckon?" She paused, and then sighed, "I don't see why we have to be here, I would have been half way home by now."

"You're running on adrenaline, it's gonna wear off soon and you're gonna realise that being on the road at 4 o'clock in the morning is not a good idea. Being here stops us from driving into a tree, or another a car, it keeps us alive"

"Fine." She rolled over her back to him and pretended to be going to sleep.

"I don't see what your problem is. I came out here to give you a hand, what is so wrong with that?"

She sat back up angrily, "I thought you of all people understood." He stared at her blankly. "Why I need to do this. Alone. I need to be able to do this, make my father proud."

"I get that. I just don't think putting your life at risk would make him all that happy."

"It's what your dad wanted."

"That was different."

"Oh there you go with your chauvinistic cra.."

"That's not what I meant. God you're a case do you know that?" He took a deep breath. "When my mom died Sam was six months old, I was four. My dad took us on the road because it was the only thing he could do. Our mom was gone and he was pissed, because something had taken her from us and he didn't know how to raise us alone. Instead of dealing with that he went after the thing that took her. This is the only life we've ever known, and by the end it was the only life my dad knew. He wanted us to carry on because it's personal. I don't know a hunter who isn't doing this because it's personal."

The expression on her face had changed from the hardened glare she had been giving him all night to a gentle smile. "You're right, but it's personal for me too. A demon took my dad."

"Yeah but for you it's not about revenge. You want to make your dad proud, you can do that without risking your life."

"I'm good at this Dean, I'm still learning but I'm good. I just wish the people I care about would stop telling me I'm wrong to pursue this."

"You're not wrong but think about what you're risking. You've already stopped talking to your mom, if something were to happen to her you wouldn't even know. You have no home, no friends, and the biggie? This is a job where you are guaranteed to die young, with nothing to show for it."

"I'll have got rid of a few bad guys."

"You know that's not what I mean."

"I never wanted the white picket fence and the 2.4 children."

"Trust me I've come close more than once, when you're at deaths door you're going to wish you had the memories of your loved ones to take with you. Your mom doesn't want you to stop being who you are, but you're all she has left, she's just trying her best to make sure you don't just stop being."

She said nothing for a few moments as she thought over his words, he pretended to be watching the tv, all the time aware of every changing emotion radiating from her body. "I'm gonna go to sleep now." She said rolling back onto her side.

"Sure." Dean turned off the tv and rolled to his side facing her bed. Suddenly he wasn't very tired, instead he just watched over her bed.

Before long she revealed that she wasn't sleeping, turning over to face his bed she spoke softly. "Dean?"

"Yeah?" He spoke equally as softly.

"Why did you come out here?"

For a moment he thought over the question. He could tell her that her mom had asked him to come out and make sure that she was okay, but she would know that was a lie. "I wanted to make sure you were ok."

"You were checking up on me?"

"Something like that."

"But why?" There was a slight hint of something to her voice that he couldn't quite put a name to.

"We hadn't heard from you in a while, I just… I just needed to see you with my own eyes to know that you were safe." He had started to lose the ability to form coherent sentences. He prayed that she would cease her line of questioning and just go back to sleep.

Instead her next move surprised him. He heard her moving before he saw it in the dark motel room. Before he could tell what was happening she had started to climb into his bed. "What are you..?" Suddenly he was all too aware of the very short nightgown she was wearing. "I think maybe you should get back into your own bed." Even as he said it he had to fight the urge to reach out and touch her.

"Do you really find me that repulsive?" She sat up, her legs hanging over the side of the bed, her back to him.

He reached out to lay his hand at her side, "You know that's not true."

"You know ever since puberty I've been fighting off the advances of the dirty old men that drink at my mothers bar, figures the one guy I actually like…" She doesn't get to finish her sentence before she feels his lips on the back of her neck, the softness of his touch surprises her and for a moment she forgets herself. Finally she regains her senses, "Please don't take pity on me." She turns to face him as she says this.

The passion in her eyes makes him gasp, but as well as that there are tears. "I'm not going to give you some fancy speech about how I've wanted you for so long, you want romance you got the wrong brother. But this isn't pity. I don't know what it is, but it definitely isn't that." He reached out to touch her face, cupping her cheek in the palm of his hand, "I'm gonna kiss you now."

She smiles, "Quit wasting time and get on with it." They both laugh as their lips meet, but the humour is lost almost instantly. He would never be able to say what the emotion was that overcame him in that moment, but suddenly he didn't mind that things hadn't gone according to plan.


	2. Chapter 2

This story was concieved as a three part story, the third part is planned but I don't know when I'll get it posted!!

This part is shorter than I expected it to be but I think the third part will be longer, hope you like it!

xxx

The next morning he awoke to find Jo still in his arms and a smile spread across his face. She began to stir and turned to face him.

"Morning Sunshine." The cocky smile on his face worried her.

"Oh God I snored didn't I?" The look of panic had him laughing outright.

"No you didn't snore." He said when he had finally stopped laughing. "You slept like an angel."

"And you said you didn't do romance." She quipped, "Though I'm not sure it counts if you're lying."

"You want some breakfast? I'm hungry." She nodded in assent, "You sleep, I'll go get us something, Be back soon." He kissed her before throwing on the jeans and t-shirt he was wearing the night before and heading across the street to the diner.

He walked back to their room in a haze which was why he didn't notice the familiar car in the lot outside the motel. As he approached the room however he couldn't help but hear the raised voices of the Harvelle women.

"You can't keep doing this, I'm old enough to make my own decisions."

"You'll be old enough when I say you are, and as long as you keep making these idiotic decisions, you're not old enough"

"How do you ever expect me to make the right decisions if you wont let me make any of the wrong ones? It's not like you always got it right the first time. You have to let me learn from my mistakes like everybody else."

"Not when those mistakes could cost you your life. I am your mother, I do not have to watch you get yourself killed."

He had a choice, he could walk away and let the two fight this one out, although he knew neither one would finish victorious. Or he could inject his own wisdom in this battle, possibly the dumbest option. Which was why he was surprised when he saw his arm reaching out in front of him as though separated from the rest of his body. The door opened in front of him and both women turned to face him.

"I thought you were going to have her ready to go." The older Harvelle accused.

Jo looked from her mother to dean, "You were part of this?"

The pain in her expression hit him in the pit of his stomach, before he had a chance to say anything Ellen spoke again, "How else do you think I found you?"

"I…I…" He didn't know which woman to face first, he was scared of them both in equal measure for different reasons and he didn't know where to start.

"Good argument. Jo grab your stuff we're leaving."

"Can I have a minute with Dean? I'm coming I swear, I just need a minute."

Ellen looked between the two of them, "Oh you didn't?"

"Mom give us a minute," Jo yelled, "I'm coming home alright just give us a minute." The expression on her face gave little room for argument so Ellen went outside to wait for her daughter.

Alone in the room Dean desperately tried to regain some control, "Jo I can…"

"Stop, just stop alright, I don't wanna hear it. I trusted you Dean, and all along this was just some ploy to get me to go back home."

"That was before…" He tried to explain but she wasn't having any of it.

"Before what? You tricked me? I mean was any of that real? Or were you just keeping yourself amused while you waited for my mom to get here? I just can't believe I let you get to me."

She paused for a breath and he tried to speak but she started back up again before he could get a word out, "You'll be pleased to know it worked, I'm going back home. Just do me a favour, stay away. I'll be happy if I never see you again. Good bye Dean." With that she picked up her bag and left the room.

He watched her leave unable to believe the power she had over him. He had heard her berate him as though he were separated from his own body. He had wanted to plead his case but he couldn't form the words, and even if he had been able to she hadn't given him time to speak. Now as he watched her go he felt like a piece of him was leaving with her. How had he let this happen?

When had he become the kind of guy who needed a woman in his life? He didn't need anyone, his brother and the open road that was all he had ever needed, now here he was mourning the loss in a way he wasn't accustomed to. He needed to snap out of this.

He hurriedly packed up his things and threw them in the back of his Impala. He needed the open road to clear his head, he'd be fine. If he could just get rid of the awful feeling that Jo was never going to forgive him.


	3. Chapter 3

Sorry this has taken so long, this is why I usually write one-shots...

The ending didn't turn out as well as I would have liked, I had the third part in mind, but it didn't quite work out in reality. Hope you enjoy it anyway!

x

"I don't see why we have to drive all the way out here."

Sam chuckled at the pout in his brother's voice, "Ash says he has something to show us."

"He could have just told us over the phone, we're going back on ourselves." They were on their way back to the Roadhouse for the first time in three months, for the first time since the Harvelle women had left Dean in a motel.

"He says he needs us to see it for ourselves."

"Well you could go see what Ash needs to show us and I could carry on towards the hunt." Dean suggested.

Sam burst out laughing, "Dean suck it up will you? I never had you pegged for such a wuss."

"I'm not scared." Dean insisted, Sam eyed him sceptically, "I'm not."

"Yeah right, your not at all bothered that she might be there." Dean didn't even have to look at his brother to see the smug grin on his face.

"I don't know what your talking about. Just drive would you?"

They drove the rest of the way in silence. Dean wasn't about to admit to his brother that the thought of seeing Jo again was terrifying him. Since the last time he had seen her he had barely stopped thinking about her. He wasn't accustomed to being so consumed by someone, and now he found himself uncertain. Part of him wanted to apologise, needed to have her forgive him, but there was another part of him that was terrified by the effect that she had on him.

It had been three months since he had last seen her and she was still at the front of his mind. He kept thinking about that day and his stupid plan. How could he have forgotten that Ellen was coming out to meet them? He knew how, he could see that nightgown in his mind every time he closed his eyes, so short it was nearly indecent, feel her hands on his body, and her face as she kissed him. He knew exactly how he had forgotten Ellen was on her way.

They pulled up outside the Roadhouse and Dean slowly exited the car, he glanced over at his brother who was grinning at him. "Don't say a word." He ordered before taking the lead inside.

"Well look what the cat dragged in." Ellen said when she saw the brothers enter.

"Ash has something he wants to show us." Dean offered by way of explanation.

"I'm fine, thanks for asking." Ellen replied sarcastically.

"I'm sorry, how've you been?" For his part Dean actually sounded genuine.

Ellen fought back a retort and just smiled weakly, "Go on through boys." She said instead getting back to her work.

A cursory glance told him that Jo wasn't here, whether that was a relief or not he wasn't sure yet. "Let's get on with this." Dean muttered to his brother walking over to the door to Ash's office.

They spent the better part of an hour in there, by the time they had finished Dean was feeling much more comfortable with his surroundings. She wasn't there, she could be gone for hours, "You wanna grab a drink before we hit the road?"

Sam tried not to show his surprise, "Yeah sure."

They sat in silence drinking their beer, it was still early and there weren't many people in the bar so he noticed right away when she made her entrance. "Oh shit!" He muttered just loud enough for Sam to hear.

Sam turned his head at the same time she noticed them. She purposely walked toward them, "Sam, how are you?"

"I'm good thanks, it's good to see you again."

"Yeah." She turned to the other brother, "Dean." It wasn't a greeting so much as a statement, she turned and walked toward the kitchen.

Dean sat for a moment in contemplation, he didn't know what to do next but sitting there with a stunned expression on his face didn't seem to be the right answer. "Go talk to her." He heard Sam say from beside him.

"I don't know what I…I don't know what to do next Sam." His eyes pleaded to his brother to provide him with the answer. "You're the sensitive one, I don't know how to fix this."

"What happened between the two of you Dean?" Sam asked his brother the question he had been dying to ask for three months. "I've never seen you like this before."

Ignoring the question Dean rose from his chair. "I'll be back." His legs were moving as though beyond his control. The left and right sides of his brain seemed to be at war with one another, one half screaming at him to turn and run the other way, the other guiding him toward the kitchen where Jo would be. When he got there she was alone her back to the door her body hunched in sadness.

She didn't even turn when she asked, "What are you doing here Dean?"

"Ash needed to show us something." He offered in response.

She turned to face him as she responded. "Oh." She seemed to be disappointed, and he thought to himself not for the first time that he was way out of his depth here. "So you'll be leaving?"

"Yeah, we were just getting a drink, we'll be on the road before sunset." He paused trying to think of what to say next. "I'm sorry." It was simple, it lacked eloquence but it seemed to strike something in her and so he continued. "It was an ambush, you didn't deserve that."

She laughed scornfully, a short sharp laugh and a second later all trace of humour was gone. "No I didn't." For a moment they just stared at each other, "I started to fall for you Dean, you let that happen knowing full well you didn't give a damn about me."

"That's not…"

"Don't. It doesn't even matter anymore. You guys got what you wanted, I'm back here, I'm not going anywhere, you don't have to give me a second thought." She turned away from him again not expecting a response.

He surprised them both when he spoke next, "If only it were that easy. I can't stop thinking about you Jo. I'm sorry for the way things worked out but I swear I never meant to hurt you. That night when it was you and me together the rest of the world fell away, and maybe I should have been honest with you from the start about the plan."

"Maybe."

"I know. But I was honest about everything else, and I'm telling you the truth now when I tell you that I care about you."

"You care about me?" The anger was fading, but it was still present.

"Could you cut me some slack here? I don't know how to do this, I… I… I'm crazy about you alright? Everytime I close my eyes I see you, see the two of us and it's driving me insane. I don't know what I want telling you this, I'm not a relationship kinda guy, I just know that I've missed you, and if there were someway that I could have you in my life…"

He trailed off and she just looked at him her expression unreadable. For a few seconds he just waited hoping she would offer some encouragement. When none was forthcoming he spoke again, "I'm just going to go, see you around Jo." This time he didn't wait for a response, he turned to the door and left the kitchen, he strode over to the bar where his brother was sitting, took a long drag from what was left in his bottle and turned to his brother. "Let's go." He didn't wait for his brother but instead left the bar and walked over to his Impala.

He had the keys in the lock when he heard the footsteps behind him, he paused for a fraction of a second, and in that time he heard her voice behind him. "You're a pain in the ass do you know that?"

"In my own defence I do know that." He joked turning to face her.

"What am I supposed to do about this Dean?"

"I don't know."

"It would be so much easier if I could just hate you." She finally offered him a smile. "I'm crazy about you too."

"I have that…" He was about to crack a joke but she cut him off.

"I'm giving you honesty here. Don't ruin this." He nodded. "I don't want to be an afterthought with you Dean, someone you come to when your bored or lonely or desperate. I can get that from any one of those guys in there."

"I'm always gonna move around, I can't change that." There was an apology to his tone.

"I wouldn't want you to. I just need to know that I'm still gonna be on your mind, I know you think you're not built for relationships, but I'm not built for a cheap affair." She blushed, "I'm sorry I'm jumping the gun a bit."

"No, you're not. I've got this hunt now, we have to hit the road soon, can we pick this up in a couple of days?" He was beginning to feel an excitement he had never felt before, there was something thrilling about the prospect of a relationship with this woman.

She nodded, "Sure. I'll be here."

He leaned down and placed a small kiss on her lips, he pulled back and smiled at her, "I'll be as quick as I can." He kissed her again. "Now go inside before I can't make myself leave." Another kiss.

"Be careful. I'll see you soon." She reached up this time to kiss him. "See ya." She turned and ran inside and he climbed in to the drivers seat to wait for his brother.


End file.
